Bin Laden's Death Stimulates Discussion Among Alonso Students

Most of the students in Alonso teacher Carey Di Pompo's ninth grade, multi cultural studies class were in kindergarten on September 11th, 2001.

Few of them could tell you anything beyond the fact that planes hijacked by terrorists flew into the twin towers and killed many Americans. 

So when news of Osama Bin Laden's death occured this week some of them turned on the news and saw Americans rejoicing, but really didn't fully comprehend the historical significance of this event.

"This week I've learned that history definitely repeats itself, and now I know a lot more about both 9/11 and the Holocaust," said 9th grader, Taylor Blake.

One student, Daniel, during a class discussion, commented, "I never really learned much about it either.  After I heard the news about what happened, I was kind of scared that they might come after us for revenge."

Another student, Justin's, contribution to the lively discussion was, "I don't think people should rejoice in someone's death."

Mrs. Di Pompo, the social studies department chariman, has taught for 30 years, wanted her students to understand not only what happened on 9/11, but also the ramifications of charismatic, evil leaders on world events.

"When I heard the news about Bin Laden, I immediately thought about the parallels between Hitler and Bin Laden."  

"Since we were starting a unit on the Holocaust I saw it as an opportunity to take something current and help students relate it to something historical."

Her lesson included an analysis of the mind of Adolf Hitler and required students to list personality traits so that they could understand causes of the Holocaust.

As students actively discussed similarities between Hitler and Bin Laden, Di Pompo showed them a basket of sealed letters  that her students wrote shortly after the attacks on September 11, 2001. 

Students immediately became quiet as she described the mood of the country on that fateful day. Many of the letters were decorated with red, white and blue stickers and ribbons.

"9/11 forever changed our lives.  These letters are like a time capsule," said Di Pompo. 

"Students wrote how they felt that day, and each of them enclosed something in their letters to show how Americans came together during the crisis," Di Pompo told her students.

Di Pompo hopes that she can pass along the letters to another teacher so that they can be opened on 9/11/2026, the 25th anniversary of the attacks.

She also hopes that her lesson will help students to realize that the same kind of propaganda that caused the Holocaust, 70 years ago, was used by Bin Laden a decade ago.